Stan Lee has just revealed he’s battling pneumonia.
The Marvel creator has been absent from a number of public appearances of late, particularly in light of the recent release of Black Panther, and he’s now explained why.
Looking a little less energetic than usual, Lee reassured fans he’s getting better in a personal message:
In the heartfelt message, recorded for TMZ, Lee says:
Hiya heroes, it’s Stan Lee. I haven’t been in touch with you lately. I had a little bout of pneumonia I’ve been fighting but it seems to be getting better.
I want you to know I’ve been thinking of you – I always think of the fans – and I hope you’re all doing well. I miss you all. I miss your enthusiasm. I miss all the notes and the photos and the emails I used to get, and I still get a lot of them.
I want you to know I still love you all and I think that Marvel and Spidey and I had the best group of fans that any group in the world ever had and I sure appreciate it.
Lee was recently rushed to hospital after falling ill at home and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday January 31, after suffering shortness of breath and an irregular heartbeat during the night.
A spokesperson for Lee said: ‘[he] is doing well and feeling good’, before adding:
He is staying there for a few days for some check ups as a safety precaution.
Speaking to KABC-TV via Skype, Lee added:
All I really want to do is tell you that I’m feeling great. I’m glad I spent that evening in the hospital.
It did me a lot of good. It probably did my fans a lot of good. It kept me off their backs for the evening.
But I’m feeling good now and I can’t wait to get in there and tangle with all the competition.
The near-centenarian had all the feels, telling KABC-TV:
It’s nice to know that somewhere in the world, there are still people who care about what I say or do.
And it’s nice to know that somewhere in the world, there are always people who are fans who care about what people do – the people they’re interested in.
And I think having fans is one of the greatest things. I can never say how grateful I am for it.
Lee made his regular cameo in the now critically acclaimed Black Panther during a classic casino scene.
The film, starring Chadwick Boseman, is being hailed as the best Marvel film so far, according to its record-breaking box office stats.
You can watch the trailer below:
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He was recently seen at the Black Panther premiere however he’s been plagued by health issues in the past.
Let’s hope Lee makes a speedy recovery.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.